1930 Flxible coach steals show at bus rally

Jarred Opatz Published: July 17, 2006 12:00 AM

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By JIM BREWERT-G Staff WriterLOUDONVILLE Reg Denures 1930 Flxible coach literally stole the show at Saturdays Flxible International Bus Owners Rally.The beautiful green and off-white coach, which resembles a historic stage coach as much as most of the buses on display at the rally open house at the Mohican Adventures Campground, drew the most stares by the several hundred visitors who participated in the open house at the campground.The open house took place right after the Parade of Flxibles through downtown Loudonville Saturday afternoon.DeNures coach was painted a beautiful forest green, catching historic vehicle appreciators eyes on the oak and aluminum body structure.DeNure, obviously used to the attention his classic coach drew, also displayed a model he made of the vehicle, a 2 1/2 foot long model looking just like the coach, which was built in Loudonville in 1930 on an extended model 90 Buick chassis, DeNure explained.The bus originally was purchased and used by a convent in Ohio, before doing service in Michigan and another Ontario city before being acquired by DeNure in 1978.DeNure at that time owned two different transit lines, Breg Bus and CHAtham Coach, and both of those systems logos are painted on the bus.DeNures father, Ivan, and a fellow employee of the transit business, Walter Monteyne, completely restored the classic in 1986.DeNures classic is equipped with 16 wicker seats, and perched in them are four beautiful models, actually mannequins. The show bus has won prizes at a number of historic vehicle shows, including the Southeast Michigan Buick Club.The last time we were here we got a lot of raves for it, because this bus was built even before the Flxible workers who visited us had worked at the plant, DeNure said.He also had a 1965 Flxible Starliner displayed at the rally.Another interesting vehicle displayed was a Flxible Metro, built by the company in its waning years, the late 80s and 90s, which is entirely fueled by alternative fuels, mostly soybean diesel fuel. It was shown by the Michigan Biofuel Alliance.About 60 buses turned out for the rally, with several less than that riding in the parade. The parade got off to an early start this year and actually was over before it was expected to arrive in downtown Loudonville.